Four years after a bronze at London Games made her the toast of the nation, Saina Nehwal will once again carry a billion hopes when she along with the other six shuttlers, including doubles exponent Jwala Gutta, begin their campaign at the Rio Olympics here on Thursday, says a report in The Asian Age, adding that she would be hungry to taste gold this time when she starts her campaign in Group G, which includes lesser-known players such as Lohaynny Vicente and Maria Ulitina.
“Saina is likely to meet Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasetsuk at the pre-quarter-finals and might face reigning champion Li Xuerui in the quarters. Current World champion and European champion Carolina Marin is a likely rival in the semi-finals, barring any hiccups in the earlier matches,” says the report.
Meanwhile, a report in the DNA says that as compared to India’s five qualifications in London, Rio will witness two more in the hunt for the medals. “Apart from Sindhu, London medallist and top Indian Saina and men’s top seed Kidambi Srikanth will be spearheading India’s challenge. In the doubles, though, Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, in men’s, and the tried and tested pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, in women’s, are also in the fray,” says the report.
“For Saina, the biggest challenge is to change the colour of medal here. Runner-up at the All England and World Championships, the 26-year-old will begin her third Olympics’ campaign on Thursday against local favourite Lohanny Vicente.”
Meanwhile, PV Sindhu will take on Sarosi Laura in women’s singles.
It was an ankle injury during the second half of 2015 that put Saina on the back foot. From being No 2 in the world, she lost important time and ranking points before fighting back her fitness. The way she played in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia before winning Australian Open, it looks like as if she is back to her top form.
